James Duckworth’s Winston-Salem progress gives his US Open preparation a sharper edge

James Duckworth has reached the Winston-Salem quarter-finals with a controlled win over Lorenzo Sonego, turning a routine US Open lead-in into a meaningful test of his hard-court level.

A win with more substance than timing alone James Duckworth’s 7-5, 6-3 victory over Lorenzo Sonego has given his US Open preparation genuine weight. The Australian is through to the Winston-Salem quarter-finals for the first time, having taken three straight matches without dropping a set. That is a stronger development than simply accumulating court time before New York: Duckworth has now built a small but credible sample of hard-court form against opposition capable of testing his baseline discipline. (abc.net.au)

The result also settled a modest piece of unfinished business. Sonego had beaten Duckworth in their two previous meetings, both on grass, including at Wimbledon in 2021 and Eastbourne in 2022. This was a different surface and a different type of match, but Duckworth’s clean scoreline matters because it shows he was able to impose his preferred patterns rather than allow the Italian’s athleticism and first-strike game to dictate the contest. (abc.net.au)

The numbers point to control, not escape Duckworth’s performance was built around protecting his service games. He saved all three break points he faced, while converting two of six opportunities against Sonego. The Australian also made only one double fault and won 77 per cent of his second-serve points, a particularly important figure against a player who can attack a vulnerable second delivery. (abc.net.au)

The broader statistical picture is revealing. Sonego won more points behind his first serve, but Duckworth was substantially better on second-serve points and avoided being broken. That suggests the match was decided less by overwhelming serving than by Duckworth’s ability to stay reliable when rallies began on neutral terms. For a 34-year-old whose best route through a draw remains a compact, first-strike game supported by a dependable serve, that is the relevant takeaway.

Marozsan provides a different examination The next opponent is 15th seed Fabian Marozsan, who defeated American wildcard Martin Damm 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. The quarter-final will be the first meeting between Marozsan and Duckworth, removing the value of established head-to-head patterns and placing more emphasis on who can control the first two shots of the rally. (abc.net.au)

Marozsan presents a different problem from Sonego. The Hungarian is a seeded opponent with a more varied hard-court profile, and his progression after losing the opening set to Damm shows that he can adjust within a match. Duckworth’s task will be to prevent Marozsan from turning the contest into a rhythm exercise from the back of the court. The Australian’s serve-plus-one patterns and willingness to take the ball early should remain central, but the margin for a loose service game will be smaller against a player who has already navigated a comeback this week.

Why this matters before New York Duckworth entered Winston-Salem already assured of a place in the US Open main draw, with his ranking listed in the high 70s. That removes the immediate pressure of qualifying, but it also raises the value of these matches: he is using tournament-level competition to sharpen his game rather than merely trying to survive a qualifying week. (abc.net.au)

The timing is useful. The US Open main draw begins next week, so a quarter-final against a seeded opponent offers Duckworth one more opportunity to measure his level before the season’s final major. A win over Marozsan would not transform expectations around his campaign, nor would a loss erase the value of this week. But it would give him a more demanding final rehearsal and potentially improve his position in the live rankings, with recent reporting placing him around No. 79. (abc.net.au)

The important change is therefore developmental rather than dramatic. Duckworth’s Winston-Salem run has moved from useful preparation to evidence that his hard-court game is functioning under pressure. The Marozsan match will show whether that stability can hold against a seeded opponent, but the Sonego win has already supplied the Australian with something he did not have entering the week: momentum backed by a controlled performance.

Sources James Duckworth reaches Winston-Salem quarter-finals, Rinky Hijikata out in round of 16 - ABC News James Duckworth reaches Winston-Salem quarter-finals, Rinky Hijikata out in round of 16 Winston-Salem Open — ATP Tour draws Lorenzo Sonego vs James Duckworth — Winston-Salem 2026 match statistics